Sustainable Tarpon Springs - Green Buildings and Eco-Villages

Within the sustainability movement, there are two kinds of green buildings.  The first are very labor intensive, handmade and crafted to be as unique as the designer - like art.  These homes, similar to Earthships, are often built with repurposed materials, or earthy substances - such as straw bales, adobe, rammed earth bags or recycled tires, or cord wood.  They are and do not appear conventional in any way with their flowing lines and sculptured features.

The other kind of ‘green building’ is one built with materials that are renewable - such as bamboo, paints and floorings that are low-VOC (low volatile organic compounds), all with the consideration of the least environmental impact possible.  They generally appear more conventional in form, and likely would not be noticed as ‘green’ from the outside, except for solar panels or tubes, solar hot water heaters, and so on, built into the design.

There is a standard set by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) referred to as LEED certification - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.  The inception of such standards began in 1993, but has continuously evolved through the years as architects have utilized new technologies to make buildings increasingly more energy efficient, and less environmentally impactful.

REI - the company I worked for before relocating to this area - was keen on having all newer retail locations designed to achieve LEED certification.  The different levels of certification are based on points that equate to being simply Certified, or achieving ratings such as Silver, Gold, or Platinum LEED certification.  All of REI’s newer retail locations were pioneering large scale energy efficiencies and design features to minimize their carbon footprint.  Several locations received LEED Gold and Silver certifications.

So, I was very excited to read an article this week about one of the first LEED-certified, Net Zero Energy Eco-Villages in our nation to come to Dunedin!  This ‘Eco-village’ will consist of 25 town homes that will not only maximize energy and water efficiencies, but will be unusually affordable - something that, up till now, has been the main prohibition to average people attempting to build, buy, or lease a LEED certified dwelling.

The developer, Planet Green Group, is certainly taking a leap forward on the sustainability band wagon, but it makes me wonder why all developers don’t take notice of this amazing shift in the values within our culture?  The partnership between Dunedin Housing Authority which donated the land for this landmark community, and Pinellas County which is managing the process, will be primarily reserved and dedicated to ‘Hometown Heroes’ - firefighters, police officers, nurses, teachers, and other people in public service.

The homes have been designed to combine the most state-of-the-art building science and high performance products to enable homeowners to track use of energy.  If you’ve ever stayed at a Gaia Hotels in California, think of the live monitors in their lobby showing the energy and water consumption which makes customers be more mindful of not being wasteful. 

One of the most exciting features in this new Dunedin Eco-Village is the built in solar design system, used in combination with very well insulated walls, virtually eliminating wasted energy costs.  The homes also include energy saving appliances and the most current LED lighting, and water monitoring.  Considering how precious energy and water are to our ever-growing population, it is time for all new building construction to move in this sustainable direction.

I would hope this new Eco-Village gets the attention it rightly deserves in moving all housing into a brighter, less polluting, more resource-conscious and affordable direction.  This is the future and it is happening NOW.  

My dream for Tarpon Springs future is that, like Dunedin, we would put sustainability at the top of our priority list.  If we choose to make sustainability the foundation of our city’s identity, we would draw the right kind of economic growth, health and well-being to this area, appealing to young families who would mutually sustain Tarpon Springs far into the future.

Please, consider meeting up at the Eco-Bean tonight at 7 PM to start the conversation on what each of us can do to contribute to a ‘green vision’ for our community!  I’m looking forward to meeting you!